Life, liberty and the pursuit of speed.
As the latest sign that nature is healing, F9: The Fast Saga is now in theaters. The latest entry in the Fast and Furious franchise came last week after much delay because of you know what.
I’m on the record as being a major fan of the series, previously ranking the movies in The Mercury for your enjoyment. Anytime I get the opportunity to preach about the exploits of Dominic Toretto and the Fast Family, I’ll take it.
After successfully completing another marathon and a viewing of F9 last week, I’ve updated my rankings. (Important note: This is a main series ranking only, so it doesn’t include the movie spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw, and the Netflix animated series, Fast & Furious Spy Racers.) (One more note: These rankings are from good to best. There’s no such thing as a bad Fast and Furious movie.)
The rankings from best to good (there’s no such thing as a bad Fast and Furious movie) are Fast Five, Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6, The Fast and the Furious, F9, Fast & Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The Fate of the Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious.
However, I’m not here today to discuss the intricacies of my latest ranking of the best movie franchise in the history of cinema.
My fellow countrymen and countrywomen, as we approach another Fourth of July, I’m here to proclaim that the Fast and Furious franchise is as American as apple pie.
Whether you were born here or immigrated here, America is a country full of diversity with many cultures represented in this nation.
The Fast Family also is full of diversity with members from different races and ethnicities from all over the world.
Historically, the United States likes to think of itself as a melting pot, a place where everyone can come together as one.
Vin Diesel, and by extension Dominic Toretto, is a literal melting pot. What’s his ethnicity? Ambiguous. Vin’s wording, not mine.
Behind the fast cars, skimpy outfits and questionable physics is a movie franchise with heart. More specifically, a franchise with Family (capital F for emphasis).
I’d argue that we can learn something as Americans from these elite movies.
In the first movie, The Fast and the Furious, a man and his family (by blood and by choice) stole DVD players from trucks. Let there be no mistake about it, they were criminals doing a bad thing.
In the most recent movies, that same man and his family (by blood and by choice) have been tasked with saving the world from destruction.
Not only do they save the day, they frequently get enemies to change their ways and join them.
By becoming better people, they help others become better people and make the world a better place.
In America, there are many families (by blood and by choice). If each family in this country approaches its days like Dominic Toretto and the Fast Family, I believe America can become a better place. Let’s work on ourselves, and then work on others.
It’s just something to think about on the Third of July.
We’re not completely out of the woods yet in terms of the pandemic, but we’re closer to normal than we’ve been in quite some time.
Stay safe, but also find a way to enjoy the holiday, especially after the past year took away so many opportunities.
If you can, find a way to restart some of your traditions.
Enjoy some BBQ. Watch fireworks. Assemble your team of fast drivers, hackers, military personnel and family members to take down your estranged brother before he takes over the world.
You know, all of the good ol’ fashion American stuff.
OFF THE BEAT | America is Fast and Furious - Manhattan Mercury
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